Method And Device For Controlling A Manipulator

ABSTRACT

A method according to the invention for operating a manipulator, in particular a robot ( 1 ), includes the following steps:
         determining (S 10 ) parameters (c′, c″) of an exactly positioned manipulator model (M) with various nominal loads (m′, m″);   specifying parameters (c) of the manipulator model on the basis of which the manipulator is operated, depending on a payload (m) of the manipulator (S 20 ); and operating the manipulator on the basis of the manipulator model (S 30 , S 40 ).

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for operatinga manipulator, in particular a robot, on the basis of a manipulatormodel.

A manipulator model describes in general the connection between jointcoordinates q of the manipulator and the position x, for example thelocation and/or orientation, of a reference coordinate system that isfixed in relation to the manipulator, in particular a tool referencesystem (“tool center point” TCP):

M:q

x  (1)

The position vector x here may contain for example Cartesian coordinates(x, y, z) and EULER or KARDAN angles (α, β, γ) of the TCP in a basissystem of the manipulator or its DENAVIT-HARTENBERG coordinates, thejoint vector q the joint angles (q₁, . . . , q_(n)) of the rotatingjoints or the angle positions of rotary drives of an articulated armrobot, the travel distances of linear drives or the like.

By solving the reverse kinematics described by the manipulator model, itis possible to determine for a desired target position x_(s) of thereference coordinate system fixed in relation to the manipulator, inparticular the corresponding joint coordinates q_(s), to which amanipulator controller then moves in order to reach the target positionwith the manipulator:

M ⁻¹(x _(s))=q _(s)  (2)

In singular poses, with redundant manipulators where dim(q)>dim(x_(s)),when there are ambiguities such as elbows above or below, or forpositions that are unreachable by the manipulator, additionalconditions, for example optimality criteria, may be used to solve (2).

An ideal kinematic manipulator model that is defined only by theoreticalkinematic parameters, in particular theoretical member lengths, axisdeviations and the like, describes only absolutely rigid, zero-tolerancemanipulators exactly. With real manipulators, however, the position alsodepends on additional parameters p, in particular rigidities of themembers, joints and drives, masses and locations of centers of mass,gear free play and the like:

M(p):q

x  (3)

DE 198 26 395 A1 therefore proposes an exactly positioned manipulatormodel. By determining the deviations between detected actual positionsx_(actual) and theoretical positions x_(M) and adjusting the parametersof the model so that the deviations are minimized:

$\begin{matrix}{{{\underset{\underset{x_{M}}{}}{M( {q,p} )} - {x_{ist}(q)}}}-> {{Min}!}\Rightarrow p } & (4)\end{matrix}$

it is possible to calibrate the exactly positioned manipulator model. Ifthe joint coordinates q_(s) corresponding to a target position x_(s) arethen determined according to this exactly positioned manipulator model,the real manipulator is able to move more exactly to the desired targetposition x_(s) within the framework of the accuracy of the model andcontrols.

Up to now the parameters have been determined only with a particularpayload moved by the manipulator, usually a standard or nominal load.But nonlinearities in particular cause a manipulator model with a set ofparameters optimized for a particular nominal load to become inaccuratewith payloads that deviate from that nominal load, so that themanipulator does not move to the desired position with the desiredexactness.

EP 1 464 453 A2 therefore proposes that a correction vector T(m_(i),x_(s,j)) be measured for different payloads m_(i)=(m_(i), r_(m,i))characterized by masses m_(i) and center of mass positions r_(m,i), foreach of various target positions x_(s,j). This correction vectordescribes the deviation between the theoretical positions x_(kM)according to an ideal kinematic model and the registered actualpositions x_(actual) (x_(ist)):

T _(i,j)(m _(i) ,x _(ist,j))=x _(kM) −x _(ist)  (5)

By adding the particular correction vector that is closest to the storedtarget position and the payload being moved to each stored targetposition x_(s) of a target path that is to be traversed with a payloadm, the deviations between the ideal kinematic model and the realmanipulator are approximately compensated for.

A disadvantage is that discontinuities result when changing between thetarget positions of the correction vector, and thus changing so to speakthe underlying model according to which the joint coordinates aredetermined. In particular, however, sufficiently fine discretization ofthe working space necessitates moving to a great many differentlocations and orientations with various payloads: For example, if apayload is described by four parameters, namely its mass m and theCartesian components x_(m), y_(m), z_(m) of its center of mass, theorientation by three coordinates, for example the KARDAN angles (α, β,γ) of the TCP, and its location by three additional coordinates (x, y,z), and if these are quantified into n discrete values, then it isnecessary to measure and store

n_(m)·n_(x) _(m) ·n_(y) _(m) ·n_(z) _(m)·n_(α)·n_(β)·n_(γ)·n_(x)·n_(y)·n_(z)

correction vectors, from which the one that is closest to a storedtarget position must be determined in each case.

The object of the present invention is to improve the operation of amanipulator, in particular a robot.

This problem is solved by a method having the features of Claim 1. Claim10 protects a device, Claims 11 and 12 a computer program or computerprogram product, in particular a data medium or storage medium, forcarrying out a method according to Claim 1. The subordinate claimsrelate to advantageous refinements.

The present invention proposes to determine one or more parameters of anexactly positioned manipulator model, in particular elasticities orrigidities of gears, joints or members, damping, in particular indrives, gears or structure damping, play such as gear or joint play,tolerances, geometric variables such as member lengths, axial distances,obliquities and the like, with two or more different nominal loads, andto specify parameters of the manipulator model depending on a payload ofthe manipulator.

In contrast to the known method of optimizing parameters for a singlenominal load, this makes it possible in particular to take account ofnon-linearities in the parameters, and thus to work more exactly on thebasis of a better-calculated model. This can be recognized from theexample of a simple non-linear spring: If the rigidity of a spring isdetermined only on the basis of the deflection under a single nominalload, then the model, which in the case of a spring is reduced toHooke's law of elasticity w=F/c, with deflection w, force F and(non-linear) rigidity c(w), yields incorrect deflections with otherpayloads.

In contrast to determining correction vectors for various nominal loadsand poses, the same manipulator model can also be evaluatedadvantageously for various poses, including especially ones notpreviously measured, as soon as its parameters corresponding to theactual payload are defined. That makes it possible according to oneaspect of the present invention to compensate better and with lesseffort for deviations, in particular for elastic deviations. By usingthe same model, it is possible in a preferred embodiment to avoiddiscontinuities like those caused by the discretization of thedeviations registered in various poses. In a preferred refinement, theexactly positioned manipulator model can be a kinetic or dynamic modelwhich takes account of kinetic or dynamic effects, in particularweights, inertial forces and/or gyroscopic forces.

With such a model, adapted according to the invention to the particularpayload, the manipulator for example can be designed and optimized, inparticular in terms of its hardware or software technology. In the sameway, the manipulator model can also be used for path planning, forexample by using offline-generated target positions of a referencesystem fixed in relation to the manipulator, such as the TCP, todetermine the corresponding joint coordinates or the positions taken bythe reference system fixed in relation to the manipulator whiletraversing a trajectory specified in joint coordinates. In particular,the model can also be used when controlling the manipulator, wherecontrolling also refers in the present case to closed-loop feedbackcontrol, i.e., the specification of control variables on the basis of acomparison of target values with returned actual values. Use of theexactly positioned manipulator model in this and similar applications isreferred to in general as operation of the manipulator.

Parameters of the manipulator model can be determined in particular bymoving to one or preferably more poses, characterized for example by thejoint coordinates, registering in each of these poses an actual positionof a reference fixed in relation to the manipulator, for exampleoptically, for example using distance sensors or one or more cameras,and comparing it with a position resulting from the joint coordinatesaccording to the model. In particular by minimizing the deviationsbetween the actual and model positions for one or more poses, it ispossible in this way to determine parameters of the model correspondingto every nominal load.

In a preferred embodiment, parameters of the manipulator model which arethe basis for operating the manipulator are predefined automatically,depending on a payload of the manipulator. The payload may be known forexample from a process, for example when an industrial robot graspsvarious payloads in a predefined sequence. It is equally possible tohave the user input the payload or identify it, in particularautomatically. To this end the payload may be detected, for example onthe basis of a marking such as a barcode on the basis of its contour,and assigned to previously known payloads. It may also be assigned topredefined payload classes, for example on the basis of its measuredweight or its size. It is also possible to ascertain the inertialparameters of the payload, in particular its mass, the location of itscenter of mass and/or its inertial tensor, by moving the payload andregistering the forces that are required and the moments that occur. Thesame also applies to components of the manipulator, for example themass, location of center of mass and/or inertias of individual members.

Preferably, parameters of the manipulator model on the basis of whichthe manipulator is operated are specified on the basis of a payload ofthe manipulator while the manipulator is being operated. In particularin the case of the cyclical grasping of various payloads mentionedearlier, the model can thus be adapted to the particular payload beinggrasped, for example by specifying parameters of the manipulator modelon the basis of which the manipulator is being operated depending on theparticular payload. If the model is employed offline, for example inadvance path planning or optimization, it can for the same reasons alsobe advantageous here to specify parameters of the manipulator modeldepending on different payloads of the manipulator.

If a payload of the manipulator does not correspond to any of thenominal loads for which the parameters of the model have beendetermined, then parameters of the manipulator model on the basis ofwhich the manipulator is being operated can be interpolated for thatpayload from the parameters that were determined with various nominalloads. Interpolation refers here in particular to a linear interpolationfrom two or more adjacent values, but equally for example to choosingthe parameters for the nominal load(s) that come(s) closest to thepayload.

Additional advantages and features result from the subordinate claimsand the exemplary embodiments. To this end the drawing shows thefollowing, partially in schematic form:

FIG. 1: a single-arm robot during operation according to one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2: the robot according to FIG. 1 with a different nominal load;

FIG. 3: the robot according to FIGS. 1, 2 with a payload in a differentpose; and

FIG. 4: the sequence of a method according to one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 1 shows in schematic representation a single-arm robot 1 having anarm rotatable around the joint angle 1, at whose end away from the jointa first nominal load 2′ is situated at the TCP of the robot.

Dash-dotted lines sketch the pose that would be assumed by an absolutelyrigid, zero-tolerance robot at a joint angle q1 and as it would bedescribed by an ideal kinematic manipulator model.

With a real robot 1, however, the position x of the TCPs deviates due toelasticities in joint and arm, joint play, tolerances, etc. This isdescribed by an exactly positioned manipulator model M, which in thepresent exemplary embodiment in simplified form with the formula

$\begin{matrix}{{M( \underset{\underset{p}{}}{c} )}: \begin{pmatrix}{{\cos \; q} + \frac{{m \cdot g \cdot \cos}\; q\; \sin \; q}{c}} \\{{\sin \; q} - \frac{{m \cdot g \cdot \cos^{2}}q}{c}}\end{pmatrix}\mapsto\begin{pmatrix}x \\\underset{\underset{x_{M}}{}}{y}\end{pmatrix} } & ( 3^{\prime} )\end{matrix}$

only makes linear allowance for the deflection w=F/c at the end of thearm under the load F=mgcos(q). In order to determine the flexuralrigidity c, in a step S10 (see FIG. 4) a known first nominal load 2′with mass m′ is situated at the TCP, a pose q1 is assumed, in this posethe actual position x_(actual)=(x_(TCP), y_(TCP)) of the TCP isregistered and the parameter c′ is determined so that the deviationbetween the registered actual positions and the theoretical positionsaccording to the parameter-dependent exactly positioned model (3′) isminimized.

It is clear from the example of a non-linear flexural rigidity that thesame model M cannot be designed optimally for the entire operating rangewhen the deviations are measured using only one nominal load 2′. In theexemplary embodiment, for example, the flexural rigidity is degressive:if instead of the nominal load 2′ with the mass m′ a different nominalload 2″ with the same center of mass location but double the mass m″ issituated at the TCP, the result is not double the deflection w″=2 F/c=2w′, but rather for example a greater deflection, as can be seen in FIG.2.

For that reason, according to the invention the parameter c of theexactly positioned manipulator model M is also determined for at leastone additional nominal load 2″ having a different mass m″=2m′, by movingin step S10 to at least one, preferably the same pose q1, registeringthe actual position of the TCP in that pose and determining theparameter c″ so that the deviation between the registered actualposition and the theoretical position according to theparameter-dependent exactly positioned model is again minimized. Theparameters c′, c″ are stored as functions of the nominal loads m′ and m″respectively, for which they were determined (S10).

Now if robot 1 is to be operated, for example controlled, on the basisof the manipulator model, by the user specifying for example targetpositions x_(s) of the TCP, determining the corresponding joint anglesq_(s) in a path plan and moving to them with a robot control, in a stepS20 the parameter c of the manipulator model on the basis of which themanipulator is operated is first specified, depending on the payload 2with the mass m. FIG. 4 indicates for this a linear interpolation of theflexural rigidity c for the mass m from the previously determinedrigidities c′, c″ for m′ and m″ respectively.

With this parameter c, in step S30 the corresponding joint angles q_(s)are determined and moved to (S40) on the basis of the exactly positionedmanipulator model according to

$\begin{matrix}{{{\begin{pmatrix}{{\cos \; q} + \frac{{m \cdot g \cdot \cos}\; q\; \sin \; q}{c}} \\{{\sin \; q} - \frac{{m \cdot g \cdot \cos^{2}}q}{c}}\end{pmatrix} - \underset{\underset{x_{s}}{}}{\begin{pmatrix}x_{s} \\y_{s}\end{pmatrix}}}}-> {{Min}!}\Rightarrow q_{s} } & ( 2^{\prime} )\end{matrix}$

as indicated in FIG. 3.

In contrast to compensation for elastic deviations on the basis of anexactly positioned manipulator model whose parameters were calibratedfor only one nominal load, the robot can be operated more exactly. Thesequence of FIG. 1 through FIG. 3 also shows the advantage compared to amethod using correction vectors, which must be determined in advance forvarious payloads and poses. In order to compensate for the deviationsfrom the ideal kinematic model in all three operating cases (q1, m′)(FIG. 1), (q1, m″) (FIG. 2) and (q2, m) (FIG. 3), the robot must also besurveyed in advance in these configurations. If only the twomeasurements according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are performed, in whichthere is a deviation downward and to the right, the extrapolation of theknown correction vectors in the pose of FIG. 3 would also yield adeviation downward and to the right, and thus would result in a clearlyfalse target joint angle q2 _(s). If instead, according to theinvention, the parameter c is determined for various nominal loads andis specified in the model on the basis of the existing payload 2, thenit is also possible on the basis of the exactly positioned manipulatormodel to move precisely to the pose according to FIG. 3, since theexactly positioned model yields a deviation downward and to the left inthe pose according to FIG. 3.

REFERENCE LABELS

-   1 robot-   2 payload-   2′, 2″ nominal load-   q joint angle-   x position of the TCP of 1

1-12. (canceled)
 13. A method for operating a robot carrying apredetermined load, comprising: determining a first set of parameters ofa model for operating the robot based on a first nominal load;determining a second set of parameters of the model for operating therobot based on a second nominal load; determining a third set ofparameters based on the first and second sets of parameters and based onthe predetermined load; and operating the robot based on the third setof parameters.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and secondsets of parameters include at least one of geometric variables,elasticity of robot components, damping of robot components, or freeplay of robot components.
 15. The method of claim 13, whereindetermining the first and second sets of parameters includes moving therobot to a selected position and orientation, and registering an actualposition and an actual orientation of a reference associated with therobot in the selected position and orientation of the robot.
 16. Themethod of claim 13, further comprising: automatically generating thethird set of parameters in response to the predetermined load.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein automatically generating the third set ofparameters includes generating the third set of parameters duringmovement of the robot.
 18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:automatically determining the predetermined load.
 19. The method ofclaim 13, further comprising: replacing the predetermined load with asecond predetermined load; and automatically changing the third set ofparameters based on the second predetermined load.
 20. The method ofclaim 13, wherein determining the third set of parameters includesinterpolating the first and second sets of parameters.
 21. A robotcomprising: a robot having a robot arm configured to carry apredetermined load; and a controller operatively coupled to the robotfor operating the robot when the robot arm is carrying the predeterminedload, the controller being configured to store therein a model foroperating the robot with the robot arm carrying the predetermined load,store therein a first set of parameters for operating the robot, thefirst set of parameters being based on a first nominal load, storetherein a second set of parameters for operating the robot, the secondset of parameters being based on a second nominal load, and operate therobot based on the first and second sets of parameters and on a thirdset of parameters associated with the predetermined load.
 22. The robotof claim 21, further comprising: at least one of a sensor or a cameraconfigured to obtain information on an actual position of the robot armcarrying the load and to generate a signal to the controller based onthe obtained information.
 23. The robot of claim 21, wherein the robotincludes a plurality of gears, the controller being configured todetermine the first and second sets of parameters based on free playassociated with movement of the gears relative to one another.
 24. Therobot of claim 21, wherein the robot includes a plurality of components,the controller being configured to determine the first and second setsof parameters based on damping, elasticity, or rigidity of playassociated with those components.